More state units bat for Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief; Party says it's 'natural', insists election will be fair

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacts with fisherfolk at Vadackal beach. Pic/PTI

More state units of the Congress have passed resolutions backing Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party chief, amid hectic activities over the upcoming election of the new AICC president.

Sources said with Rahul Gandhi unlikely to contest or change his stand, the election for the top post in the grand old party will witness a contest after more than two decades.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is considered a frontrunner for the post as he is perceived to be having the backing and confidence of the present dispensation and is likely to be challenged by a G-23 member Shashi Tharoor, who has expressed his desire to contest.

The poll process for the Congress president's election will begin on September 22 with the issue of the notification, and the nomination filing will start from September 25 to 30. The election will be held on October 17 and the result will be out two days later.

Amid the heightened political hubbub, Haryana and Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) were the latest to join the chorus favouring Rahul Gandhi to take over as party chief.

Also Read: PCCs passing resolution seeking Rahul Gandhi to head Congress not binding, says Jairam Ramesh

With around 10 PCCs coming out in support of Gandhi so far, party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday that such measures have no binding effect.

"But nobody asked anyone to pass any resolution. The Congress party workers are enthusiastic. Rahul Gandhi has not asked anyone to pass any resolution. The Congress president has not asked anyone.

"They have been watching Gandhi walking for the past 13 days. They know the pain he is undergoing every day. They all can relate to him. It's natural that they pass the resolution. But the resolution has no binding effect," Ramesh said, referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra yatra.

"Entire party is immersed in making Bharat Jodo Yatra a success. Even so, it's important to reiterate that any member is welcome to contest for Congress President. This is a democratic and transparent process.

"Nobody needs anybody's nod to contest, especially that of party leadership," Ramesh also tweeted.
He said that whether Gandhi will contest or not will be known between Sep 24-30.

Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu Kashmir units of the party have supported Rahul Gandhi as the next Congress president, a post he quit in 2019 after the Lok Sabha debacle.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal met party president Sonia Gandhi and is learnt to have discussed the AICC chief's election.

Echoing Ramesh, he said anybody can contest the Congress president's poll which will be free and fair as well as transparent.

"Whoever wants to file a nomination, can file it. We have said it will be an open election, anybody can contest, free and fair election, definitely it will be a transparent election," he said.

On Tharoor, he said, "Not only Shashi Tharoor, anybody who wants to contest, can contest."

Tharoor had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday and expressed his intention to contest the poll. The Congress president is learnt to have conveyed to Tharoor that she would stay "neutral" in the elections.

Gehlot had earlier denied that he is a candidate and has been saying that he will try and convince Rahul Gandhi to contest.

Meanwhile, a controversy arose over the reported comments of Himachal PCC chief Pratibha Singh on Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi not giving enough time for the party.

Singh, however, claimed she was "wrongly quoted" as she never made any disparaging remarks against the leadership and the Gandhi family.

The reported move of Tharoor to contest the Congress presidential poll did not go down well with the party in Kerala with a senior leader terming it a personal decision of the Thiruvananthapuram MP.

Another MP made it clear that the state unit would vote only for those who recognise the prominence of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Kodikunnil Suresh and K Muraleedharan, two Lok Sabha colleagues of Tharoor from the state, made their displeasure over the reported move.

"If he (Rahul Gandhi) is not willing to take up the position, a person acceptable to the AICC and the majority of leaders and workers should come to that post. That is the wish of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and all of us," Suresh said during the yatra.

"Tharoor's contest will not create any crisis in the party," he said, noting that it is not a 'serious contest'.

Vadakara MP Muraleedharan said the state party would vote only for those who recognise the prominence of the Nehru family.

He said Rahul Gandhi's unwillingness to accept the top position was a cause of worry for all.

"There is no dispute among anyone that Rahul Gandhi should come and take up the post. But, it is up to him whether to accept the post or not," the former KPCC chief said.

"Anyway, we will cast our votes only for those who recognise the prominence of the Nehru family," he said.

Meanwhile, Gehlot called a meeting of Congress MLAs in Rajasthan on Tuesday night, ahead of his planned visit to Delhi amid speculation that he may contest for the post of party president.

The upcoming polls would be historic as the new chief would replace Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving party president.

The party last saw a contest for the post in November 2000. Jitendra Prasada lost to Sonia Gandhi in 2000.

Prior to that, Sitaram Kesri had defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in 1997.

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